Bridge for stringed musical instruments having means for adjusting the spacing of the strings



Dec. 29, 1959 J. D. WEBSTER 2,918,837

BRIDGE FOR STRTNGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS HAVING MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THE sPAcING oF THE STRINGS Filed Nov. s, 1957 HKU, Q. MTW

United States Patent O BRIDGE FORSTRINGED MUSICAL INSTRU` MENTS HAVING MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THE SPACING OF THE STRINGS James D. Webster, Northport, N.Y.

Application November 8, 1957, SerialNo. 695,431

Claims.. (Cl. tHe-312) The present invention relates to an improved bridge for stringed instruments of the guitar type and, more particularly, to such a bridge which is provided with means for adjusting the spacing of the strings across the bridge. Y

Heretofore, it has been customary to manufacture bridges for guitars and the like with string slots in the saddle of the bridge, whereby the spacing of the strings was set and could not be adjusted thereafter. In some instances, the bridges are made without string slots and are sold to discriminating musicians who form the slots to space the strings to suit their personal taste. However, once the slots are cut for the desired spacing of the strings, no further adjustment can be made.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to overcome the foregoing diiculties by providing a bridge which enables the musician to adjust the spacing of the strings from time to time to suit his personal taste.

Another object is to provide such a bridge which enables the strings to be accurately spaced in relation to the width of the fingerboard.

Another object is to provide such a bridge which enables the string spacing to be adjusted to iingerboards of the same make which may vary slightly in width because of manufacturing inaccuracies.

Another object is to provide such a bridge which enables the manufacturer to adjust the string spacing properly, so as to split the magnetic head screws on electrical pickups.

A further object is to accomplish the foregoing in a simple, practical and economical manner.

Other and further objects will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

In accordance with the present invention, the foregoing objects are accomplished by providing a bridge which comprises a bridge member adapted to extend transversely across the sounding board of the instrument, a plurality of elements each having a string receiving notch or groove therein, and cooperating means on said member and said elements for enabling said elements to be adjusted lengthwise on said member and crosswise with respect to the sounding board.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of the specification, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a musical instrument, for eX- ample, a guitar equipped with a bridge in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary plan view of the portion of the instrument where the bridge is located.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3--3 on Fig. 2.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing in detail, there is ice shown a guitar which comprises a body 10 having a sounding board 11 formed with an opening 12, a neck 13 having a head 1 4 provided with tuning pegs 15, a fingerboard 16 on the neck having spaced frets 17 and a notched string spacing ridge 18 at the upper end, a bridge 19 near the opening 12, a tail-piece 20 and strings 21 connected to the tail-piece and the tuning pins and ex.- tending across the ridge 18, the fingerboard and the bridge.

As shown in Figs.` 2 and 3, the bridge, in accordance withk the present invention herein illustrated in its preferred form, comprises a base 22 extending transversely across the sounding board 11, an upright post 23 adjacent each end of the base having their lower ends secured in the base, a head 24 for each post, each having a bore for receiving a post and each having a recess 25 at the side facing each other, a rod-like bridge member 26 having its ends secured in the recesses 25, and a plurality of saddle elements 27. Each of the saddle elements is formed with a string receiving notch or groove 28 and each is mounted on the member 26 for movement along the length thereof and crosswise with respect to the sounding board to enable the space between adjacent strings to be adjusted and to adjust the spacing of the strings with respect to the width of the fingerboard.

-In practicing the present invention in its preferred form the rod-like member 26 is circular and is provided with screw threads 29 between the ends thereof, and the elements 27 are generally cylindrical and have a circular aperture 30 provided with screw threads 31 adapted to cooperate with the threads 29 to effect sidewise movement of the elements upon rotation thereof. Preferably, the threads are relatively fine (about 28 threads per inch), whereby the elements can be moved on the bridge member in very small increments to accomplish extremely accurate adjustment thereof.

The grooves 28 in the cylindrical peripheral surface of the elements 27 are annular and continuous and eX- tend completely around the elements and thereby retain the strings therein as the elements are being turned. The surfaces 32 at the sides of the grooves are knurled to facilitate turning of the elements.

As shown in Fig. 3, the rod-like member 26 is bowed slightly upwardly to match the curvature of the sounding board. Since the threads 29 and 31 are ine, the slight curvature of the member 26 does not interfere with their cooperation. In the event the sounding board is ilat, it will be apparent that the member 26 can be straight and parallel to the sounding board.

The bridge construction described herein lends itself to height adjustment in the conventional manner. This is accomplished by providing the posts 23 with screw threads 33 and threading a knurled wheel 34 thereon, which posts are disposed between the heads 24 and the base 22 and serve to raise or lower the heads and the member 26 carried thereon.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the present invention provides an improved bridge for stringed instruments which facilitates highly accurate and individual spacing of the strings in a rapid, practical and convenient manner. The bridge is constructed to withstand such rough usage to which it may normally be subjected and does not interfere in any way with the quality of the tone of the instrument.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction, and arrangement of the parts herein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matters are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in any limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. A bridge for a lstringed musical instrument comprising a circular rod-like member having threads therearound, means for supporting said member transversely on the sounding board of the instrument, aud a plurality of centrally apertured saddle elements each having a string receiving groove therein and each having internal threads in mesh engagement with said threaded member for movement lengthwise on said member independently of each other to adjust the spacing between adjacent strings.

2. A bridge according to claim l, wherein said elements have a cylindrical, peripheral surface and said grooves are formed in said surface and extend around said surface.

3. A bridge according to claim 2, wherein said surfaces are knurled to facilitate rotation of said elements on said member.

4. A bridge according to claim 2, wherein said mem- 4 bei 1s bowed slightly upwardly to match the curvature of the sounding board.

5. A bridge for a stringed musical instrument comprising a bridge member adapted to extend transversely across the sounding board of the instrument, a plurality of elements each having a string receiving notch therein, and cooperating threads on said member and said elements for enabling said elements to be adjusted lengthwise on said member and crosswise with respect to the sounding board.

McCarty Apr. 3, 1956 Gregg et al July 23, 1957 

